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(1905–93)

African statesman. In 1944 he was a co-founder of the Syndicat Agricole Africain, formed to protect Africans against European agriculturalists. He represented Côte d'Ivoire (formerly the Ivory Coast) in the French Assembly (1945–59), and in 1946 formed the Parti Démocratique de la Côte d'Ivoire. At first allied with the Communist Party, he broke with it in 1950, and cooperated with the French to build up the economy of his country. When Côte d'Ivoire was offered independence in 1958, he campaigned successfully for self-government within the French Community. He became President of Côte d'Ivoire in 1960 in a one-party state, and his international policies have been recognizably moderate. He also maintained close links with France. In May 1990 opposition parties were allowed to function, and he was re-elected in presidential elections later that year. Following his death in 1993 he was succeeded as President by Henri Konan Bedie.